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Love
Love is that attribute of God1 John 4:8-9 by which His grace is demonstrated to mankind, whether corporately or particularly. In essence, love is shown to something as a preference towards one thing over another. It is an attribute that is communicable to mankind in the image of its CreatorMatt. 12:30-31. Love in the Old Testament The Hebrew verb ahab is found over 200 times in the Old Testament, beginning with God Himself speaking to Abraham, instructing him to take his beloved son to the land of MoriahGen. 22:2. The occasion was the ultimate test of Abraham's faith. Abraham had another son, but Isaac was the one he loved. When it had come time to choose between his sons, the patriarch had sent Ishmael away with his mother HagarGen. 21:8-14. A generation later, Isaac would show that same kind of love towards his cousin Rebecca, whom his father had sent for in his adopted "home town" on the Euphrates RiverGen. 24:67. Sarah had died when Jacob was 37 years old, having never known the love of anyone but his parents. It was through Isaac that God would continue the unique people that he had chosenDeut. 10:15. Human love can be distorted, as is the case with Isaac. He showed preferential treatment between his twin sons, loving Esau more than he did JacobGen. 25:28. This resulted in his judgment being just as blind as his failing eyes. He then let his love for well seasoned meat be a test of that loveGen. 27:4-14. Later, Jacob would reflect that same favoritism in loving Rachel and their son JosephGen. 29:30; 37:3. This tendency is addressed in the Law concerning multiple wivesDeut. 21:15-16. After generations of following Yahweh, the extended family of Jacob ended up in Egypt, under the watchful eye of his favorite son. There, they learned of numerous other so-called gods. Under Moses, though, they learned that the Creator that they knew from their family history -- the One who had called and protected Abraham -- was truly the One True God. When faced with a choice, those who loved Yahweh over all others, and kept His commandments were assured that He would show mercy unto them even though they were not perfect. It was because he had chosen them that He would continue to love them. It was in His faithfulness to His promises that Yahweh showed his love to IsraelDeut. 7:9-13 -- and all others who would come into a covenant with HimRom. 5:8. Since the covenant goes two directions, God's people could be sure of their relationship with Yahweh when they showed love to Him and to others around themDeut. 6:4-5; Lev. 19:18. These two laws together summarized the whole Ten CommandmentsMatt. 22:38. Love was sometimes misapplied, as in the case of SamsonJudg. 16:4, Amnon2 Sam. 13:1 and Solomon1 Kings 11:1, but it can be seen in all kinds of relations. Sometimes it is relative, as Ruth's love to her mother-in-law was seen to be by her friendsRuth 4:15, and that of David towards his good friend and brother-in-law Jonathan1 Sam. 20:17 (Hebrew cognate ahabah, found here and 39 other times). Yahweh, His name, and His word are the most common things to which His people are to direct their love. Throughout the Psalms this becomes quite clearPsalms 5:11; 31:23; 69:36; 97:10; 116:47; 119:47-48, 97, 113; 145:20 (among others). Those outside of God's love chose to love worldly thingsProv. 1:22, but those who love Christ (pictured as wisdom) shall be preserved from the foolishness of the worldProv. 8:17, 21. However, like any loving Father, God disciplines His children when they fall into the ways of the worldProv. 3:12; 13:24. The sweetest expression of human love towards another is undoubtedly seen in that of a man for his wife. The Song of Songs recounts a love story that has been seen as a type, or even an alogory for Jesus Christ. The two words for love -- dowd and ahab come together early in the story as love for the royal husband is seen as greater than the pleasure brought from the finest wineSong 1:4. The word dowd is the root word for David and "Jedidiah," Nathan's nickname for Solomon2 Sam. 12:25. The two were "soul mates" as is evident throughout as the husband is said to be "him who my soul loves"Song 1:7; 3:1-5. In the Prophets, Isaiah proclaims God's love toward the descendants of Abraham, his friend (ahab, the one he loves) and the resulting blessings that flow from that loveIsa. 41:8; 43:4; 48:14. Hosea echoes this as God reveals to him that His love is unconditionalHos. 3:1; 11:1; 14:4. Finally, God reminds His people some 400 years before Christ that he had chosen Jacob over EsauMal. 1:2. Love in the New Testament Selfless love There are two main words in the Greek for the concept of love. They are often hard to distinguish, but the one used of God towards his people is agape (ah-gah-pey) and its verb form agapao. This is the word that Matthew uses to translate Jesus' summation of the Law -- of love towards God and mankindMatt. 12:30-31; 22:37, 39; compare Gal. 5:14: James 2:8. The first time Jesus uses the word "love" it is in relation to its opposite attitude: hate. In his message to his disciples on a mountainside, he corrects a mistaken idea that it was proper to "hate" ones enemies. Instead, a believer is to love enemies even as they do the benevelent neighborMatt. 5:43-46. A little further, though, Jesus warns against preferring worldly possessions to service to GodMatt. 6:24. However, love towards God and His kingdom must be greater than that to ones own familyMatt. 10:37. Appreciation and preference for others may lead someone to do special things for others, as when a Gentile helps the Jews, who as a whole do not like himLuke 7:5. Such love is seen in forgiving othersLuke 7:42-45. The greatest example of this forgiveness is found in God sending his own Son, Jesus Christ to die that His enemies could be savedJohn 3:16. This pact was between the Father and His beloved Son, which lead to His death and resurrection. he died and was raised from the deadJohn 3:35; 5:20; 10:17; 13:1; Gal. 2:2; Eph. 5:2; 1 John 4:10-11. Jesus called on his disciples to show the same love that He himself had shown to each otherJohn 13:34-35; Gal. 5:13. He went on to remind them that the way to show their love to God (Father and Son) was to obey the Law of God -- especially as He had taught them on the mountainJohn 14:15-31. The love that Jesus had was the love of the Father which has always existedJohn 17:24. This love is distributed liberally by the Holy Spirit who dwells in and among ChristiansRom. 5:5. It is not because of anything they have naturally as human beings, but because the love was to sinners before they ever thought of loving God in returnRom. 5:8. However, Christians indeed return that love, and can know that God will work things out for their benefitRom. 8:28-39; 1 Cor. 2:9. The character of Christ's love toward His assembled believers (that is, the church) is best seen in the love of a husband for his wife. From a human perspective, the analogy is imperfect, but the divine plan is for that perfect union between the twoEph. 5:25-33. This deep love is part of what every Christian can show to others, for it is part of the nine-fold"fruit of the SpiritGal. 5:22-23." Elsewhere, love appears as part of the "pavement" in the path towards God and away from worldly entanglements1 Tim. 6:11 Friendship The other word often translated as love is philos and its verb form phileo. This word carries the idea of friendship. It is used mostly of mankind, though in places it is used of God. In the Gospels In the Gospels, the verb form, most accurately to the English "to be fond of", is used of both in familialMat 10:37; John 11:3,36 and publicMat 6:5; Luke 20:46 relationships. Most famously, Jesus' disciple Judas Iscariot showed his public affection by giving him a "friendly" kissMat 26:48; Mark 14:44; Luke 22:47 *"to kiss" being the same verb. However, by the time John wrote his Gospel, there was less of a distinction between the types of love. This is evident in the absent of the kiss of a friend, be it in betrayalCompare Mat 26:48-50; John 18:3-4 or in closest friendsJohn 11:36 (right after Jesus wept); John 20:2 in the fourth Gospel. It is notable, though, that this "friendship love" is applied to that of God, the Father, to believersJohn 16:27 and even to Jesus, the SonJohn 5:20. Although the evangelists confirm the language of Jesus was Aramaic (related to Hebrew)Mat 27:46; Mark 15:34; John 19:13,17), John seems to indicate a difference in the concepts of "love" and "friendship" in the discourse between Jesus and Peter after the Resurrection. In that discussion, Jesus twice asked if Peter "loved" him in the sacrificial agape way. Both times Peter replied back that he, of course, "loved" him in the phileo way. The third time, Jesus is asking his disciple if he loved him in the latter, less committal phileo kind of love. This saddened the apostle as he responded a third time with phileo "friendship" loveJohn 21:15-17 Other Usage Paul could not stand those who refused even to show respect to (that is "be a friend to") Jesus1 Cor 16:22. On the other hand, he commended those who he considered related in the faith1 Cor 16:20; 2 Cor 13:12; 1 Thes 5:26; Titus 3:15. Peter went so far as to link the sign of affection (kiss) with full agape love1 Peter 5:14. In his earthly ministry faced the "accusation" that he was a "friend" (philos) to all types of "sinners"Mat 11:19; Luke 7:34. To such a charge he famously said that he had come to save those who "needed" to be savedLuke 5:31; 19:10. His accusers were "hypocrites" who tried to scare His disciples, who he considered friends, but Jesus told them that the only one they had to fear was God, for others only had the authority to kill them here on the earthLuke 12:4-5. In another place, Jesus told his disciples that it was wise to make friends with those who had money in order to influence them towards righteousnessLuke 16:9, but that those earthly friends might just as easily turn on themLuke 21:16. Above all, though, Jesus was a friend to his disciples--followers pledged to listen and repeat what He taught them. It was to these friends (philos) that he revealed his purpose--his sacrifice for them in love (agape)John 15:13-15. Later, James the brother of Jesus would compare the friendship of believers to God to that of the world. He wrote that there cannot be friendship of bothJames 2:23; 4:4. This same thing would be taught many years later by John using the "stronger" word ''agapao''1 John 2:15. Characteristics of Love According to the Apostle Paul, to love someone is to be patient with them, kind to them, to not envy them, not to be boastful, and not to be proud or rude towards them. He who loves others is also not easily angered nor self-seeking; he doesn't keep track of wrongs, but instead always protects, trusts, hopes, perseveres, rejoices in the truth, and never fails1 Cor 13:4-8. Love is the evidence that someone is a Christian; for no one can be saved unless they are born of God John 3:5 and everyone who loves is born of God <1 John 4:7. It is evidence that they have passed from death to life 1 John 3:14. A Christian should love others, instead of hating them; for if a Christian hates others, they are a murderer, and murderers do not have eternal life 1 John 3:25. Christians are to show love towards others, not just with words, but in truth and with action 1 John 3:18. They ought to love each other because God loves them1 John 4:11, 19. They are to live sacrificially, since this is what love is (as shown by Christ on the cross). Jesus commanded people to love even their enemies Luke 6:27; as well as each other as He loves them John 13:34. Verses Category:Fruit of the Spirit Category:Doctrines Category:Cleanup